Late
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: In which Mirajane and Laxus explore the horrors of tardiness as well as it's occasional joys.
1. Breakfast

Breakfast

"Mmmm," Laxus groaned, the feeling tickling his girlfriend awake. His head was buried, at the moment, in-between her breasts and he had no intention of moving it.

"You're awake?" she yawned, gently stroking at his yellow locks. "Dragon?"

"No," he moaned, nuzzling against her. "I'm not."

"You sound awake."

"Nope."

"I have to get up soon though, dragon, so you're going to have to get up."

"Mmmm. Mira."

"I'm serious," she told him softly. "I have work in, like, three hours and I still have to get home and get ready and find something to wear-"

"No."

"Laxus, you have to let me go."

"No, I don't." He let out a long breath then, against her chest, and Mirajane, finally truly awake, batted at his head. "Never do."

"Laxus-"

He didn't open his eyes, but did say, "Leave for work from here."

"I can't. I don't like any of the things I have left here."

Another groan. "Wear what you wore yesterday. Transform into something. Wear something of mine. I don't care. Just don't leave yet." Then he paused before saying, "Don't leave ever."

"I have to, silly." Another yawn. "I wasn't even supposed to spend the night."

"Were too."

"Laxus."

"Planned it all out."

"You did not."

Did it matter? He nuzzled against her again. "I'm comfy."

"Awe. Poor dragon."

"Poor me."

"If you want," she enticed softly as she finally began to wiggle out of his grasp, "I could make you some breakfast."

"At four in the morning?"

"Take it or leave it."

A loud, longer groan, though she'd already slipped away then and he was only left with a bed to snuggle. "I'm comin'. Although, I think you should reconsider my offer to wear something of mine-"

"Animal print isn't my thing."

"You wear one thing, one time-"

"Multiple times."

Heh.

The hardwood floor was cool under the man's feet when he got up. Winter was finally fading away into Spring, but the early morning temperatures could be brutal at times.

"I want pancakes," Laxus told her as he fell onto the living room couch when he got to it, his girlfriend continuing on into the kitchen. "Demon. A lot of 'em. And sausage."

"Okay, dragon," she sighed, her exhaustion evident in her tone. Dealing with his neediness and having to get up already was _not_ what she wished to spend her morning doing. "You want coffee?"

"No. Gross. I want juice."

"Oh, dragon."

"Juice!"

Sigh.

He only burrowed himself up in a blanket on the couch, against one of the pillows. He just wanted to go back to sleep.

Mirajane, however, didn't have that option. Why she even offered breakfast to the man was beyond her. She could have gotten out of there regardless.

It was her own fault though. About the breakfast thing, yes, but also that she was having to get out of there so late (or was it early, given the hour). She'd known the night before, when she got Lisanna to agree to take the evening shift so she could go out with Laxus (it had more to do with Natsu, Lucy, and Happy being out on a job than her caring for her sister's dating life, but an agreement nonetheless), that she was going to have be back at the hall, bright and early, to open. She rarely didn't. Only if she got someone to agree beforehand to take that shift.

So she'd gone out to dinner with Laxus under the agreement that he too understood that, under no circumstance, could she go home with him. She had work in the morning.

Laxus only wrapped an arm around her, as they left the hall that night, giving her that special shit eating grin that only she got.

"I wouldn't dream," he told her, "of keepin' you out too late, demon. Risk the hall not being open on time? And disappoint all of my fellow guild mates? Me? Never. You should know me better than that."

Oh, she should have. Enough to realize, when he offered to buy her wine at dinner, that Laxus had no intention of following through with that. Honestly though, considering she somehow worked her way through a whole bottle, maybe she never had any of letting him.

"Dragon," she called out softly, time having passed a bit. "Are you ready to eat?"

Nothing.

"Dragon?" She already had his plate on the table in the kitchen, syrup, butter, and juice awaiting him as well. Still, she went to head into the living room. "You have to get up. I have to go."

"Mmmm?"

"Your pancakes, silly."

Oh. Those. Slowly, Laxus sat up, rubbing at his eyes all the while. Mirajane was a nice sight to wake up to, regardless of how messy her hair was and that she hadn't taken off her makeup the night before, leaving it smeared and messy.

"Are you sleepy still?" Mirajane giggled, reaching out to gently run a hand through his blonde hair. "Come on. I have everything you asked for."

Well, that was a given. She always did, after all.

With some gentle prodding from the woman (and the alluring sent of pancakes), the man made his way to the table. Bleary eyed and yawning, he staked his first complaint the moment he sat down.

"I," he complained, "wanted bacon."

"Laxus, you said sausage."

"I'm tired, woman," he complained. "You should have known what I meant."

"Oh, Laxus."

"Don't make noises at me! I-"

"You're so grouchy." Done cooking, Mirajane turned the kitchen light off, leaving him in the dark. The moon was shining through the window though and Laxus had some pretty enhanced night vision, so he'd be alright. She figured, in fact, that he probably preferred it. Bright lights at four in the morning weren't conclusive to a happy dragon. Going back over to him, she only pressed a kiss to his head before saying, "I have to go now. Come see me later down at the hall, okay? Maybe we can eat lunch togeth-"

"Wait, wha'?" Laxus mouth was full with godawful sausage (why did he even have it in his fridge; he was a definite bacon man). "Mira-"

"I have to, Laxus."

"You said that you'd stay and-"

"And make you breakfast," she agreed. "Which I very clearly did. So-"

"You have to stay and eat with me."

"Laxus-"

"You have to. You'd have to eat at home, wouldn't you?"

"I wasn't planning to, no."

"Come here," he growled, pulling her down into his lap. "Demon. You have to eat."

"I would eat at the hall after-"

"You should eat now. With me."

"You're so bratty, you know that?"

Still, he held her to him. "Here. Eat my disgusting sausage that you totally knew I didn't really want-"

"If it is that big of a deal, Laxus," she complained, trying to get up once more, "I'll make you some stupid bacon-"

"I'm just joking, woman. Jeez. You have, like, no sense of humor."

"Oh, right. Because now it's humorous to complain about a breakfast that I got up in the middle of the night just to make you-"

"Now who's grouchy?"

Slumping back against him, Mirajane said, "I just need to get home, Laxus."

"And you can," he assured her. "After we share breakfast."

Ugh.

"You know," he added a bit after, as she reluctantly shared his pancakes with him. "I think this was actually a good thing."

"Hmmm?"

"I've gotten too...content, I suppose, with my training regimen."

"Well," Mira retorted, "you are only the greatest mage to walk the planet."

And she said it in a deep voice, as if to imitate him.

He only snorted. "Great fucking wizard to ever-"

"Dragon, don't curse."

Heh.

"My point," he told her simply, "was that I should go out. Right now. Train off all these pancakes you just shoved down my throat."

"I think you were more than a tad willing."

"Well," he grumbled. "Anyhow, I'll train all morning. Way past sunup. Be a totally new man when you see me."

"Ooh," she giggled though, just as quickly, she was making a warning. "Careful though, Lax. You sound as if you're edging in on Elfman territory."

Grunt.

Giggling some more, Mirajane added, "You'll stop by though, right? The guildhall? So that we can have lunch?"

"Lunch, she wants," he complained. "After buying her dinner, she wants lunch."

"Well, we can just eat at the hall-"

"No. Gross. Weird."

"Laxus, it's not weird."

"Is too," he complained. "Then you have to make me my food and serve me."

"I make your food and serve you here," she pointed out. "To very ungrateful comments to boot."

"It's different here or at your house."

"How?"

"I don't have to pay you here."

"Ah."

"And when I'm ordering beers or whatever, it's different too," he went on. "Food just makes it so much more… I dunno. Just not something I like. I feel like I gotta tip you more for food than beers, but I already tip you a hell of a lot for beers, and does it really matter if I tip you or not? You take my money anyways-"

"I don't take it." Mirajane shifted in his lap. "I just ask for it and you give it to me. Difference."

With a slight exhale, Laxus said simply, "We'll just eat somewhere else."

That worked for Mirajane quite well and, moving to squirt some more syrup on the remnants of their shared breakfast, she almost wiggled right out of his lap when he surprised her with a kiss to the neck.

"That's weird. Don't do that."

Laxus only said, "And I am grateful, by the way." She was just ready to awe or comment when he added, "When you get my order right."

"You asked for saus-"

"You should have known what I meant!"

Ugh.

It wasn't until the glass of juice was empty and the sticky, syrup covered plate was left with one last bit of sausage that Laxus realized he'd wasted far too much of his precious demon moments eating. She was about to leave.

Laxus didn't know what it was with the two of them. It was so weird. It was almost like he wanted her there constantly.

Which he didn't. At all. He'd pitched the biggest fit when he first found her leaving her things around the apartment, detested (at first) calling her anything other than his date, and never once thought he'd be having a conversation with any woman, ever, about moving in together.

Recently, however, he and Mirajane had begun doing all of that. And more. As scary as it was though (down right petrifying), he didn't hate it. And he couldn't fight it. Not really. He just...always wanted to be around Mirajane for whatever weird, non sequitur reasoning that he refused to acknowledge for the most part.

Which is why, after scarfing down that last piece of pancake, when he noticed that Mirajane, somehow, had managed to doze off in his lap, Laxus didn't wake her up. Didn't dream of it. After ten minutes though, he did attempt a feat that he figured pretty much excused it. He, as softly as possible, whispered in her ear that they should go back to bed and, hardly conscious (much less thinking at all), Mirajane mumbled something of the like and, well, didn't that just give him the go ahead to go back to bed? And her too? Training and his guild mates that would be waiting for the hall to open be damned?

He thought it did.

Mirajane, however, who he ended up carrying off to bed (any other time, the concept of this would have had her thrilled; literally any other time), did not think so when she awoke lazily at nine in the morning to a snoozing dragon and sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Laxus," she whispered, sitting up. "I thought… Did we oversleep? Or am I off? Or-"

"Sleepin'," he grumbled, head buried in a pillow. "Come back later."

Heh.

Glancing at the clock by his bedside, she said, "I'm late. I think. I… Laxus, did we go back to bed? After breakfast? We did that, right? Eat breakfast?"

"Mmmm."

"Why did you let me go back to sleep! You knew I had work!"

"Way I see it," he basically told his pillow because Mirajane was flying out of bed practically then, rushing to leave, "if you were that tired to begin with, you deserved to sleep. Demon. Mirajane. You gone? Mmmm." Burrowing his head deeper in the blanket, he only mumbled, "Still worth it."

* * *

 **This was originally going to be a one-shot, but I had a few extra ideas for them being late to things and then was going to do an extra long one-shot, but breaking it into five chapters works best, I think. A new chapter of Dinner Party is up next though, for anyone wondering about my stories. Maybe tonight or tomorrow. We'll see.**


	2. Desserts

Desserts

Very few times in Laxus' life could he honestly say that he was just at peace. Blissful. Not worried about a thing.

That evening, however, as he laid around in bed with Mirajane draped just as casually over him as the sheet she had over her was, he had to admit, there wasn't a damn thing that he cared about. Just lying there, gently stroking Mirajane's back, he was the most content he'd ever been. He could have heard a meteor falling outside, destined to hit the two of them and kill them instantly, and not do a damn thing, because dying then, right there and then, would be all he could ever ask for. More than, honestly, he could ask for.

The entire day had been great actually. As the demon had it off from her duties up at the bar, they spent it all together. Typically, that spelled disaster for them, as it would inevitably lead to some sort of disagreement, but so far, none had reared it's ugly head. In fact, he and Mirajane had been getting along pretty great.

Too great. Sigh. He should have seen the signs.

Something had to go wrong.

It was just the law of the land.

"You want me to go out and get us something?" he mumbled at some point when Mirajane shifted against him. "Demon? Or you wanna make us something?" When he got no response, he added, "Or I could make something, if you-"

"I just," she whispered against his chest, "wanna lay here for a bit longer. Don't you? Dragon?"

Oh, definitely. Stroking at her hair some more, he only whispered, "Yeah, demon. That sounds grand."

Still, she shifted some more until she was looking up at him. "It's just been awhile, you know? Since we were both off and able to spend time together like this."

"Too long," he agreed. "Far too long."

"Everyone's always bugging us," she sighed. "We just have too many people that rely on us, I suppose. Between my brother and sister and your...friends-"

"Stalkers," he interrupted. "You can just call them what they are. Stalkers."

"Lax."

"Well, they are."

"You're so silly." His chest got a kiss. "Dragon."

"Mmmm." He glanced down at her. "Wanna go at it again?"

"So silly."

Heh.

Mirajane wasn't done moving though as, after a minute, she moved off him and onto the bed, snuggling into the pillow. She'd given the slayer her back, which he didn't enjoy, but what could you do? He'd pressed his luck and gone home with nothin'.

"I kinda do want something to eat though," the woman told him through a slight yawn.

"What?' Laxus glanced over at her. "I'll get you whatever."

"Well aren't you a happy dragon today."

More like an overly in love one, but whatever.

"Just tryin' to keep you happy, woman. Is that a crime?"

"Never." Snuggling closer to the pillow, she said, "But you never even heard what it is that I want."

"What is it then?"

"Something sweet."

"Sweet, huh?"

"Mmmhmm. Like cake or cookies or brownies or all three-"

"All three?"

"You've exhausted me, dragon."

"Have I?"

"Overly."

"I might just have to go out and get you that cake then."

"And cookies and brownies and pie-"

"You said nothing about pie."

"You calling me a liar, Dreyar?"

"I might be. Depends on how much pie costs when I get down to the bakery."

Giggling, Mirajane said, "I'd go with you, but I'm all sweaty and nasty and people might question all these bite marks I have-"

"Compared to this damn claw mark I got going down my left pec-"

"Pec? You have pecs now, dragon?"

"I've always had pecs, woman."

"I have never seen proof of this."

"Then get your eyes checked, woman, because-"

"You're super silly tonight." Another yawn. "You getting up to get those sweets anytime soon though? Or are we just going to lay around and argue?"

"I like the idea of laying here and arguin' some more."

"Of course you do. Because you're so argumentative."

"I ain't argumentative."

"Laxus, come on. Be serious."

Growling, he said simply, "I just like being right."

"Okay, yes, I'll give you that. You do enjoy that as well."

"As well?" Snort. "I don't enjoy arguing, Mirajane."

"Alright."

"I don't."

"I just agreed."

"But you don't mean it."

"Yes, I do."

"No, you- Don't give me that look!"

"What look? I'm not even facing you."

Growl growing, he only shoved up and out of bed. "Fine. I'll go out now and get your damn sweets."

Glancing his way, Mirajane said, "Great. Remember, chocolate cake, brownies, whatever kinda cookies you want, and then a cherry pie."

"Right. Piece of chocolate cake, a brownie-"

"Uh, excuse you, dragon. What is this piece you speak of?"

"M-Mira." He was heading off to the adjoining bathroom, but did glance back at her. "You cant be serious."

"Why can't I? I want a whole cake, a whole pie, a batch of brownies, and a batch of cookies."

"For what? You can't possibly put all of that away."

"Maybe not today," she agreed. "But definitely over the course of, oh, two days."

"Since when do you eat like this?"

"I dunno," she hummed. "I'm just ravenous today. You didn't feed me lunch, you know."

"What am I now? Your father? I have to feed you?"

"You're my boyfriend," she reasoned. "You have to provide for me."

Heh.

"Yeah, well," he grumbled, leaving the bathroom door open as he went in there to splash some water on himself and clean up a bit, "I guess I'll just have to get to that apparently."

"Yeah, you will," Mirajane just about ordered, her tone was that definite. "Mr. Slayer."

He took some time out to swish a bit of mouthwash around in his mouth and spit it out before addressing her again.

"But," he started as he came back out of the bathroom, going to retrieve his jeans from their crumpled place at the foot of the bed, "you're gonna owe me something major for this."

"Will I?"

"Definitely," he said and, standing there clad in only jeans, Mirajane had to admit, she was pretty powerless to any and all of his demands. "In exchange for your goodies-"

"No pieces; full things."

"-you owe me some serious sexing."

"Is that a thing? Sexing?"

"Oh yes, demon. It very much so is."

"Mmmm. Anything specific?"

"The term is broad but my feelings are not."

"Meaning?"

"Nothing, actually. I was hoping to decide by this point, but-"

"I think I definitely have an idea." And she only sat up, just a bit, staring over at him with her big, blue eyes.

"Wha'?" he questioned, dark eyes just as locked in on hers. "Demon?"

When she raised her eyes brows, he only raised his. And, when she nodded, he said, "You want dessert that badly?"

"I want to do _that_ that badly."

"Really now?"

"Really."

She'd broken him then, if only a bit, as Laxus laughed, if only a bit, and said, "Well, uh, I don't think I have any, uh, lube or… I can buy some. I'm going out. I'll buy some. For right now."

"And the cake."

"And pie and cookies and brownies." He even nodded. "Hell yeah. I can do that. Be back so fast. So fuckin' fast."

"Then get going, silly." She even winked. "The faster you get back, the faster we can eat."

"And then the faster we can-"

"Well, duh."

He was in a rush then, going around the room, gathering up his things to leave. Being sure to grab his wallet, he was almost out the room when he remembered something.

"Love you," he said as he came back to press a kiss to Mirajane's head.

"Love you too."

It was a mad dash for the slayer, around the town, as he stopped off at the bakery to get all of Mirajane's treats (she was so expensive) as well as making that special little stop that was just a necessity (he felt so special sometimes, lucking out on Mirajane), but that was fine. His rush was only in his own excitement.

Only, when he arrived back, Mirajane was less on the intimate (if one could call what they were going to be doing intimate) side of things and more on the eating side.

"You're getting crumbs all over my bed," he complained as she dug into the cake box, right there on his bed, with her hands. In a weird way, it sorta kinda made him hard.

Sorta kinda.

"And?" Mira challenged, mouth full of delicious sweetness. "I clean your bed. Wash your sheets. I can dirty them up if I want."

Meh. She had a good point.

He only stretched out, there next to her, watching as she dug away at the cake. He'd left the others boxes of desserts in the kitchen, where he hoped they'd stay, and that they'd eventually get down to the other thing he'd bought and put it to some good use.

Still, he only said, "Man, how great is this, huh?"

"What? The cake? You haven't even tried it. Here, try a-"

"No thanks, demon." Even shook his head. "I'm more concerned with, you know, bonin'. And my carb counts. Seriously, Mirajane, don't eat too much of that. You know I only like you for your body right?"

"Is that it?"

"That's it."

Still, she only giggled. "You're so silly, dragon."

"To think," he went on, getting back to his original point, "that our days meshed up just so perfectly."

"What do you mean?"

"How often," he challenged, "are you off all day and I have no training scheduled or jobs to go out on? Hardly ever."

"That's true."

"If you'd hit me up yesterday," he went on, "I'dda just been comin' home from a job. And if you'd gotten me tomorrow, I'd be with the Thunder Legion."

"Doing what?"

"Training. All day. We were gonna go out to a real remote part of Mount Hakobe and do some endurance training. Real tough shit, demon."

"Sounds like it."

"Mmmm. And you know, I almost ended up spending one more day out on my job. Finished up early."

"Really now."

"Yeah. Got home at the perfect time, huh?"

"Sounds like it."

He even wiggled his toes, there, on the bed. "Tell me another day in your life that's been this perfect, Mirajane. Try me."

"Uh, the day Lisanna came back to life comes to mind, but-"

"Yeah, but was that a Friday? Huh?"

"I don't remember. I-"

"This has to be the best Friday of your life, huh?"

"No."

"W-What? Mira-"

"Today isn't Friday, silly." Mirajane didn't even glance over from her cake. "It's Saturday."

"It's what?"

"Saturday." Frowning then, she finally did glance at him. "It's Saturday, dragon."

"That's impossible, Mirajane. I got back late on Wednesday, slept for a bit, got up, met you at the bar, you told me you had tomorrow off, which would be today-"

"I told you that on Thursday." Then she frowned. "Laxus, did you sleep for an entire day?"

"No. That's impossible."

"Why is that impossible? If you were out on an S-Class job, used up all of your energy, then maybe you-"

"Mira, I couldn't have fuckin' done that without realizing that. It's impossible."

"Well, come up with another solution then, because that's what-"

"Are you seriously telling me that today is Saturday?"

Nodding, the woman said, "It definitely is."

"Shit, Mira. What time is it?"

"I don't know," she complained, glancing around. Settling her eyes on his clock across the room, she said, "Nearly seven-"

"Damn it!" And he was rushing then, stumbling out of bed as Mira only stared with wide eyes. "I'm late!"

"Late for what?"

"Meeting the damn Thunder Legion, Mira."

She only blinked. "Okay, well, how late?"

"Hours late!"

"Then I'm sure they've given up on you coming and just left without you." She went back to her cake. "So-"

"Mira, it's the Thunder Legion." He gave her a blank stare, stopping putting his boots on just to do so. "Do you honestly think that they'll just leave without me?"

"W-Well-"

"Or bother me at home? No. They'll just sit there and wait till I come. Damn it. I was supposed to meet them at four! Shit, Mira. Shit, shit, shit."

She only sat there, watching as he rushed around, and even calling out an okay when he told her to lock up if she left. And, just like that, her dragon was gone.

And so were his chances at anal.

Because she would _not_ be feeling up for it again for a very long time.

She'd just finished half the cake when, suddenly, she frowned.

"Or is it Friday?" Shaking her head, Mirajane decided softly to herself, "Oh well. At least I got snacks."

And tons of them at that.

* * *

 **I could just imagine the Thunder Legion standing around for hours, awaiting Laxus, as he's back at his apartment just chilling with no care in the world while they debate with themselves about whether they should just leave, if Laxus forgot, or if he was in need of them somewhere and just couldn't get to them and, for some reason, that's just far too funny to me.**


	3. Date Night

Date Night

"How long will you give him?"

"What do you mean?"

Lisanna only stared at her sister blankly. "What do you think I mean? How long will you give him?"

"I don't-"

"How long are you going to wait for Laxus to show up before you just give up?" her sister finally broke down the question. "I mean, it's already been an hour."

"He'll be here," Mirajane said, continuing to stand behind the bar, wiping absently at a mug in her hands, though her eyes were on the guild hall doors. "He's just a tad late is all."

"Yeah, but how long before-"

"What're you guys talkin' 'bout?" Cana slurred from where she was seated up at the bar, a barrel cradled delicately in her arms. "Ah?"

"Nothing," Mira tried to wave her off though Lisanna, who was seated up at the bar too, only grinned down at Cana.

"Laxus," she sang, the man's name practically dancing off her tongue. Just the sound of it made Mira frown. "And how he's totally standing Mira up."

"He can't stand me up," the demon remarked, almost sounding like she was complaining.

"That's the spirit, Mirajane," she heard from the air as Happy, with his romantic senses tingling, came flapping over to land on Lisanna's head. "No man can stand you up."

"That's not what I meant," she said with a frown. "He can't stand me up because we're not, like, just dating. We're in a relationship.. He might not show up for a date, but he wouldn't be standing me up."

"Whatever makes you feel better," Cana slurred to her, hiccuping a bit. "Mira."

"It's true," Mirajane continued to insist. "Laxus is just running late. Or forgot. It's impossible however, for him to stand me up. We might break up, sure, but-"

Happy gasped loudly, making Lisanna's eyes look up, trying to see him atop her head. "You and Laxus are breaking up"

"What? N-"

"Really?" And suddenly, Lucy was coming over as well. Natsu, who had been effectively ditched by the only people in the guild that were remotely entertaining to him, slowly came over as well. "When did it happen, Mirajane?"

"It didn't, Lucy" she said with a frown. "Happy was just-"

"It's pretty sad," Happy told his blonde friend as Lisanna only giggled. "He stood her up too."

"What?"

"No." Mira wasn't having fun for once with shameful gossip. "He didn't."

"I'm so confused," Lucy said with a slight frown. "So what happened?"

"Noth-"

"Laxus didn't show up for a date," Lisanna remarked.

Then Happy took over. "Stood her up."

"You're going to break up with him over something silly like that?" Lucy frowned. "Really?"

"No!" Mirajane even huffed a bit. "Of course not."

"That's what I heard," Cana remarked from her end of the bar. "That you guys are breaking up 'cause he stood up to you."

"Stood her up, but sure," Lisanna agreed as the card wielder only hiccuped. "Grounds for a break up either way."

"I'm not breaking up with-"

"Why," Natsu complained as Lucy took a seat next to Lisanna at the bar, clearly intent on sticking around for the conversation, "are we having to talk about this?"

"Yes. Exactly." Mirajane nodded at the Salamander. "Why? I mean, so what? Laxus is a little late-"

"Mira, it's been, like, an hour," Lisanna remarked. Happy, still atop her head, whistled.

"You got stood up," he concurred. "It's okay; it happens to the best of-"

"I did _not_ ," Mira repeated and, for a moment, she almost sounded a tad bit dark, "get stood up. So stop saying that."

Lisanna and Happy both sat there in shocked silence as Lucy only tried to grin, sympathetically. Cana was still knocking back her barrel however and Natsu only looked on with boredom.

"So what you're saying is," the slayer concluded, "that you and Laxus are fine and Lucy and Happy should come back over there and continue-"

"Pretending like you're remotely interesting?" Lucy snorted. "Yeah, no thanks."

"What do you mean? I'm totally interesting! Right, Hap?"

"Aye sir," the Exceed agreed. "But this is still more entertaining."

"There's nothing entertaining about any of this," Mirajane told them all with a frown. "Or funny."

"It sure is when you're butting into everyone else's business," her sister remarked. "Mirajane."

"What is that supposed to-"

"I think you know."

"I have hearty conversations with willing participants," the elder of the two retorted. "That's all."

"Sure."

"It is."

"Um," Lucy tried then as the Strauss sisters had a glaring match. "Maybe we should change the subject. If Mirajane's so uncomfortable-"

"I'm not!" She was feverishly rubbing at that mug then, though it was already spotless. "At all. Because Laxus is only late."

"Or dead."

And that made everyone stop. Then look to Natsu. He only shrugged.

"He could be dead," he told them all. Then he punched the air, fist nearly colliding with the then scowling Lucy's head. "Or someone could've beat 'im up and he's lying there, yeah? With no help? And no hope? Ha! I lived longer than Laxus!"

"Why would that make you so excited?" Lisanna giggled as Mirajane only stared. Lucy, however, only sighed.

"Natsu," she complained as he still punched the air excitedly, Happy lifting his head to grin at his best friend. "Honestly."

"Yeah, honestly."

"That's not what I-"

Cana hiccuped loudly that time, making Lisanna giggle, breaking (in her mind) the playful tension that she and Mirajane had going on. It was just as well, anyhow, as the elder Strauss sibling was back to watching the guild hall doors.

Laxus hadn't stood her up...had he?

"So if you were going on a date, Mirajane," Happy began once more, making her glance at him.

"I was." Then she frowned. "I mean, I am. Yes. Why?"

"That means that you're gonna be off from work, huh?" He popped off Lisanna's head then, landing on the bar with a grin. "Then how come you're still working?"

"I'm not," she mumbled, though she still wiped at the mug. "I'm off the clock."

"Unless," Lisanna suddenly realized, deciding quickly to use her sister's uncertainty to her advantage, "Laxus doesn't show up, right? Then you have no plans? And can totally work for me?"

"Laxus is going to show up." Still though, she shrugged. "I can work though if… And hey; Happy's right."

"Everyone is once, I suppose," Lucy sighed as the Exceed only gave her the stink eye.

"I'm off." Mirajane thrust the mug and rag off on her sister. "You're not."

"Dang it, Happy," Lisanna complained as he only grinned sheepishly at her.

"If it helps," he offered, "Lucy should totally be the one to work. Not you or Mirajane."

"How could you possibly figure that?" the celestial mage grumbled as Cana gave off some sort of odd hiccuping cackle.

Mirajane, however, was done with them, it seemed. "I'll be downstairs, okay? Lisanna? If you need me?"

"You mean if Laxus shows up?" her sister challenged.

"Just for you, Mira," Natsu offered, flexing his muscles, "I'll beat the crap outta Laxus the second he shows his face!"

Considering she didn't for a second believe he could accomplish this feat and knowing that when Laxus got in from wherever he got in, he would probably be more than a tad pissed off (especially after she went off on him about being late) and would need to blow off steam somehow (and she was not going to be helping with that that night; at all), gave her consent in this.

Natsu bounced in excitement, pretending to shadow box. "Ha ha! I'll knock him right on his butt, Mirajane! In your honor, of course."

As Lucy literally had to get up and switch seats, as the slayer once more began swinging in her direction, Happy only giggled and said, "Will you lose in her honor too, Natsu?"

That got the slayer to stop throwing punches. Frowning at the Exceed, he said, "You know, little buddy, some confidence from time to time wouldn't hurt."

"It would you," he argued. "Then you'd really think you should go off and do things that you clearly can't."

"How could you say that? I'm gonna mop the floor with Laxus! I- Hey, Mira! You could at least stay and watch."

No, she couldn't. Their conversation might have been interesting to Lisanna, lulling Cana to sleep, and something for Lucy to regulate, but she was not at all entertained. And, when she went downstairs to find it mostly empty, she couldn't say she was too upset to be alone. It'd been a long time since she'd been down to the game room for reasons other than just cleaning up or serving beers, so it gave her, at the very least, a chance to play pool.

A very long chance, as even into a few rounds all alone, Laxus still hadn't arrived. When he did finally and she could sense his immense power upstairs, Mirajane didn't rush to greet him or check on him or figure out what was going on.

Only lined up her shot and waited. He'd come to her.

He _always_ came to her.

"Ah! Laxus! You think you can just stand up, uh, you know, um…Mira! That's it! You think you can just stand up Mirajane on my watch? No way. So come over here and-"

Natsu's voice cut off suddenly and was followed by Lisanna screaming at Laxus that he didn't have to be such a jerk all the time and could at least occasionally not give Natsu brain damage. Then came the sound of heavy footsteps down the stairs.

She was leaned over the pool table, assessing her next shot, when she heard his heavy sigh.

"Demon," Laxus whispered as the other two guys down in the game room glanced his way.

She was too busy refusing.

Not that he cared. He only walked right across the room to come speak with her.

"Mira," he sighed as he stared at her. She only took another shot. "I'm sorry. I know I'm late. I got caught up training and…When I knew that I was late, I went and got you these. Here." And then he was trying to shove what he was holding off on her. "Roses and chocolate. Mira, just take-"

"How could you possibly just be training so long that you forgot about me?"

"I didn't forget about you."

"I meant our date, Laxus. How could you just-"

"I don't know."

"It got dark! When it got dark out, you never thought, gee, I'm supposed to be somewhere right-"

"I don't," he tried to growl, though it came out weird, "know. I- Hey! What are you doing?"

She only shifted her flowers and candies into one arm before reaching out to press a hand against his left side.

"Mir-" He had to stop as he took a sharp breath.

"You're hurt." And she was staring into his eyes then. "Laxus-"

"I mighta had a slight accident, yes, but I'm fine, so-"

"What happened? I thought you were with the Thunder Legion?"

"They took off and I stayed out there, to train for a bit more before I went to go shower and get ready to go out."

"And?" she prompted.

"And I had an accident. What- Stop poking my side!"

"Did you bruise a rib or something?"

"Could I be talking through it if I did?"

She narrowed her eyes, staring right into his, before saying, "You could have used your Lightning Body magic to get you out of the forest you were training to get home, taken some pain meds, waited for them to kick in, and then forced yourself all the way down here. And you probably had to rest for a bit, at home, before you did so."

He only frowned. "I don't know what you're gettin' at woman, but I'm fine. Perfect. So-"

"Why didn't you just use a lacrima and get in touch with me?" Mira seemed far more hurt then, that she hadn't been there to help him when he was hurt, than she was about her date being ruined.

"Because there was nothing to tell! Now let's go. I know we missed our reservation, but I'm sure I can get us in somewhere nice and-"

"You're not going anywhere but up to the infirmary so I can check out your ribs. Not to mention the rest of you."

"Mirajane-"

"No. Come on."

And then she was moving to shove her gifts off on the others down in the game room, who were only Jet, who she gave the flowers (he was already scheming about giving them to Levy), and Droy, who she gave the chocolates (he was scheming about how to get out of giving them to Levy so he could keep them for himself), before gently leading her slayer up the stairs.

"How did it happen?" she asked as she tugged him through the bar and then to the upstairs. "Dragon?"

"Well, we were training out on some stacked rocks and I sorta fell off one and-"

"Laxus, you could have been hurt!"

"I was fine." Then he rubbed at his head. "I did blackout for a bit though. That was a big chunk of time too-"

"I have to take you to the actual hospital," she said suddenly, decisively. "If that happened."

"What? No. Mira-"

"Come on." She was pulling him right along, ignoring any stares they got. "You should have taken yourself."

"We have a date."

"And we'll have many others," she said with a nod of her head, taking him right out of the guildhall. "But for right now, all I care about is getting you the help you need."

"Wow," Lisanna remarked from up at the bar, where she was mostly ignoring her duties and listening to the grumbling Natsu about how Laxus had totally sucker punched him. "They made up fast."

"Yeah, well," Lucy tried, but was cut off by Natsu who only glared at both her and Lisanna.

"You guys never make me go to the hospital when I get knocked out," he grumbled as Happy, who was in Lucy's lap, enjoying some free fish Lisanna had thrown his way (the true reason he'd forced her to get to work), only snickered.

"That's because no one _loves_ you, Natsu," he snickered. "Maybe if you could beat Laxus just once, one on one, then-"

"Do not," Lucy complained as Lisanna only grinned at the Exceed, "put words into our mouths."

The Exceed on filled his with the head of his fish. Ah, well, he tried.


	4. Cold Feet

Cold Feet

"Luce, this is like torture."

"Yeah, Lucy. It's completely torture."

"You two are such whiners," the celestial mage sighed as she sat there, in a pew at some church, absently fanning at herself with her hand. "And it's super hot in here, Natsu. Do you have to sit so close to me? Go do something else."

"What else is there to do?" he complained as Happy only snickered. "This is so wrong. I showed up to the church, put on my nice suit-"

"Forced into your suit, actually," Lucy reminded.

"-all so that I could sit through this ceremony," the Dragon Slayer went on, "and get to eat all of that great reception food! I was promised great food. Where's my great food?"

"Waiting for us to finish the ceremony," Happy remarked from where he sat in Lucy's lap (also being far too close for as hot as it was in there). "Or at least start it."

"She'll get here," Lucy told them both with a frown, glancing over at where Natsu was slumped over with his arms crossed, "when she gets here."

"I don't know about that, Lulu."

And there was Levy, seated in the pew in front of them with a just a grumbling Gajeel (no one was even for certain if he'd truly been invited or just shown up for the free food), turning around to glance at them.

With a slight grin, she said, "I bet she got cold feet."

"Y-You think so?"

Natsu just snorted before holding up his hands. "Then she should have just come to me! I'd have warmed 'em right up!"

"That does not mean what you think it means," Pantherlily complained as he jumped up from where he was sitting next to Levy and moved to clamber up on the back of it, so that he could see the others. Perched there, he said, "And it is a baseless accusation to make. And not at all one to say aloud. Tardiness is for certain all that is going on here."

"We're just talking, Lily," Levy giggled. "I'm sure that she is just late. Or something. And we'll be here soon."

"Very soon," Natsu grumbled, "I'd hope."

"I bet she did get cold feet," Happy said as he sat up in Lucy's lap with a grin. "I mean, who would wanna marry _him_ anyways?"

Their eyes all drifted over to the front of the church, where the Thunder Legion and Laxus were all gathered. Elfman too, as he somehow found more tears to shed at his sister's absence along with the others he'd already cried at the start of that day.

"I don't think he's that bad," Lucy offered up as Happy only gaped up at her in shock.

"Not that bad? He's horrible." The Exceed shook his head. "I mean, you should probably jump on that, Lucy, once he gets over being left at the alter. It's your only shot, I'm sure."

"Shut up, you stupid cat."

Gajeel, tilting his head back to stare at them, only said, "If they don't start soon, I'm walkin'!"

"Were you even invited?" Lucy asked with a slight frown. When that got her glare from the man, however, she quickly grinned. "Natsu? Were you invited? Is what I wanted to know?"

"I better have been." He huffed. "Make me sit around in this suit and not feed me. Who does she think she is?"

"Uh, one of your best friends." Happy grinned from Lucy's lap. "Duh."

"Still couldda showed up on time," Natsu grumbled. "All I'm sayin'."

"What is the call? If she...you know?" Lucy glanced around. "Got cold feet? Do we stay here all day or-"

"I dunno," Levy mused as she grinned some more, as if excited by the drama of it all. "I think we stay until the groom storms out in anger. Or falls into a pit of despair."

"Or Lucy steps up the plate and marries in her place." Happy really liked that idea for some reason. "Think about it, Lucy."

"Yeah," Natsu grumbled. "Think about it, Lucy."

"What? Natsu-"

"If it means," the man complained, "that we can get this wedding over with and get to the reception, then yeah, marry him. Just make sure before you do it that that they're still providing food."

"I am hungry," Happy agreed. "We didn't eat breakfast just to make it on time to this!"

"The ceremony was supposed to start at noon," Levy pointed out, a bit bemused. "In what way would getting ready have stopped you from eating breakfast?"

"They overslept," Lucy said, clearly not wanting to focus on it for too long. "But hey, it's been like two hours. So-"

"I'll give her another hour," Levy said as Lily, still looking rather disapprovingly at them, only shook his head. "Then I think I'll probably ditch out."

Gajeel snorted. "I was promised a chance to play the reception. There had better be a reception!"

"Who said that you could play the reception?" Levy asked, glancing at him. He was facing forwards again and only shrugged at her.

"I felt," he said simply, "like it was implied."

"In what way could that possibly have been-"

"Hey, Levy!"

And then there was Jet, rushing down the long aisle to the pew she was in with Gajeel, skidding to a stop.

"Did you hear?" he asked, grinning mostly at Levy, though the others were staring at him as well. They were one of the few groups still in the chapel, actually, as most everyone other than the Thunder Legion had gone outside. "They say that they can't find the Strauss sisters anyways. I think it's pretty safe to say this wedding is-"

"Jet, hush," Levy hissed, glancing over at the front of the church, where the Thunder Legion (plus Elfman and Laxus) were standing. "They might hear you."

"They should hear him," Happy remarked, though it was with a whisper and the hope that none of them attacked him over it. "If they're not coming, then there is no wedding. Unless, Lucy-"

"Shut it, cat." To Jet, Lucy said, "Maybe they just got...stuck somewhere."

"Stuck?" Levy repeated. Nodding, the celestial mage went on.

"Like, maybe they went somewhere. On a train," she offered up. "Before the wedding...and got stuck...or lost...or… Ugh. This is going to end up really bad, isn't it?"

Nodding, Jet spared a glance up at where the others were at the front of the church. "I bet he's going to flip."

"I bet they all are." Lucy sunk down in her pew, as if fearful. "And we're not in the hall. What if they destroy the church?"

Happy, clearly, had a solution to this. "If you would just marry him instead, Lucy-"

"You know, Happy, I'm really tired of-"

"If they're not coming," Natsu cut them off as he got to his feet. "Then I'm not staying. And come on! No one even asked me to find them? I'll find them in a snap! I'll just track their scents, yeah?"

"Where you gonna start, dumbnuts?" Gajeel growled, not turning around to glance at him. "Scents don't last very long, you know. Not to mention, you have no idea where the last place they were was. Or when it was. So just sit down and shut up. Or go outside and get away from me. You punk."

"Hey! I'm just trying to be helpful! And I'm not a punk. You're a punk!"

And then Gajeel got up. "What did you just call me?"

Natsu wasn't backing down either. "I think you heard me."

"And I think-"

"You guys can't start this in a church." Pantherlily was still perched on the back of the pew and only glared up at them. "It would feel… Odd to say the least."

"It would be sacrament," Happy offered as he bounced right out of Lucy's lap, wings appearing as he took to the air.

"I think you mean sacrilegious, but sure," Lucy sighed, standing as well. To the two slayers, she only said, "But seriously, guys, take it outside. I don't think Fairy Tail can manage having the church turn against it too."

"You tryin' to tell me what to do now, blondie? Huh?" Gajeel snorted in her direction. "First I can't play my guitar at the reception and now I got these idiots bothering me? That damn Strauss. Why'd she let every show up here if she was just going to flake on-"

"The fuck did you just say?"

All of them froze, even Gajeel (although he played it off by looking disinterested), at the sound of the Thunder God booming over at the front of the church. His eyes were heavy on all of them then, but it was Gajeel he was glaring at.

"Because I damn sure know," the man growled as he came over to them and dang, he looked just as intimidating in a suit as he did any other time, "that you weren't talking about-"

"So what if we were?" Gajeel barked back, though just as quickly he was heading away. "I'm outta here. The chick ain't showin'." Then, as an afterthought, he added, "But if she does, I'm expecting to get a chance to play at the reception so-"

"Uh, Gajeel?" Pantherlily, with his hands over his ears, jumped right off the pew and rushed for the door. "Perhaps we should just leave Laxus alone."

Before he showed them just why he earned the nickname Raijin.

"I ain't afraid of Laxus!" Natsu was undeterred, even as Lucy pulled him by the back of his collar out of the church, head down. "Why should I be? I was promised food if I came! And since you guys didn't deliver on that, you at least owe me a fight!"

The sound of the church doors shutting were the punctuation on Natsu's demand as Lucy and Happy finally got him out of there, Levy and Jet following right behind. Once it was only the thunder Legion (and Elfman) left in there with him, Laxus let his heavy gaze fall a bit before sighing.

"She's coming," he assured them as he turned to look at his ragtag group. Ever was sitting on the steps that led up to the pulpit, elbows resting on her knees and her head in her hands as she stared at him, but mostly just tried her hardest not to snap at Elfman for being annoying. The big oaf was standing over her, rubbing at his eyes and nodding at Laxus, as if in agreement. And Freed had moved to sit down in the first rows of pews and only gave the man a shake of his head in response.

Bickslow, however, just kept bouncing around on his feet, looking rather dapper in his suit, as did his five babies as they floated around in the ones he'd painted on their little wooden bodies.

"Of course she is, boss." He tried his darnedest not to sniffle. "How could she not?"

Reaching into his pocket, Laxus pulled out the ring that was in there and stared down at it for a moment. If she didn't show…it'd more or less ruin the happy little joining of the Strauss siblings and the Thunder Legion they had going on. All that work for nothing.

Sigh.

Not to mention the jewels…

It was while he was standing there, figuring out how to brighten all their moods while also suggest that, perhaps, they throw in the towel too, when there was a commotion outside the church that sounded like Gajeel and Natsu were finally getting into it. As if being right in front of the building made it any less disrespectful.

And saved on the costs of damage they might do.

Sigh.

He was trying to work up some anger once more, to go out there and break them up with, when, suddenly, the hall doors opening and oh, there was the demon, Mirajane, in that dress that she literally bitched about how ugly was for weeks.

But more importantly, also, there was Lisanna.

Bickslow rushed over immediately.

"Lissy," he complained as he stopped short in front of her, as not to ruin her super expensive dress that Laxus still wasn't sure how he wound up paying for.

He wasn't the one marrying Lisanna.

But he was, in fact, banging her sister, so he kinda kept his opinion on the matter null.

"Where were you?" Bickslow asked as Lisanna only stared at him, as if a bit ashamed. Before she could speak though, Natsu was bouncing into the church as well.

"Alright!" He fist pumped. "You ready to get all nuptial, Lisanna? And then feed us? Is that still on? Because-"

"Lisanna!" Happy wanted to drop from the sky onto her head, where he was most comfortable, but came flapping around to stare at her. "Where were you? I, for one, was worried about you. Natsu and the others though started these completely rude rumors about you getting cold feet-"

"I-" she tried again, but once more, was interrupted by Mirajane who only called out to all the others outside to come take their seats; it was about time for the wedding to, finally, begin.

Laxus, however, caught her arm as she tried to drag Lisanna off to finish getting ready. Softly, he asked, "Where were you guys?"

"At your apartment."

"My- Why?"

"Because no one could find us there," she explained, giving him a soft grin. Lisanna was over speaking with Bickslow then and, in a hushed voice, Mirajane said, "She was sorta panicking a bit, I think."

"And she chose now to do so?" Laxus growled, perhaps a bit too loudly. Mirajane just hit him in the stomach.

"As the best man," she complained, "you're only concern is the groom. I got my bride here, didn't I?"

"Yeah, Mira, two hours late!"

"But here. And that's all the matters." Then she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Now, do you have the ring?"

"Do I- Yes, Mira. I have the-"

"Then get Bickslow's stupid babies all round up so they can be the ring bearers."

"I still don't know how I'm supposed to get that to work," he complained as she walked off. "Mirajane. We didn't go over it during the rehearsal and- Mira! You can't just leave me to figure these things out. I'm not the sharpest fang in the mouth!"

"You'll figure something out."

So he did. The most traumatic thing ever for the poor souls. He literally tied them together in a bunch and sat the ring on the one in the center.

And then, finally, two hours late, it was time to get the wedding over with.

Laxus had only been to two others in his life time and they had all been as worthless as the one he was at then.

What was the point of weddings? Huh? Why not just sign the stupid papers and leave everyone else's lives alone? Why did you need to involve others?

"Because, Laxus," Mirajane told him later that day as they sat up at the hall, listening to Gajeel belt out a horrible rendition of...whatever he was singing up on stage, and the others got drunk and partied around them. Makarov was the most drunk, using the fact that the hall was closed to everyone outside of the wedding party as an excused to get completely wasted. Laxus and Mirajane both were keeping an eye on him as they sat up at the bar, for once, her not having to serve the beers. "It's every girl's fantasy. From the time she's young-"

"Yeah, well, I hope you got it out of your system after planning your sister's because-"

"Awe, Lax. Are you saying we'll get married one day?"

He blinked. Then went back to his beer.

Weddings were the worst.

"You think that your sister's okay now?" Laxus asked Mirajane after a moment or two. "With, you know, marrying Bickslow? You don't feel like you jjust talked her into it?"

"I think it's really what she wants," the woman remarked. "And, even if it's not, I told her while we were at your place that she just had to get through today and enough time to where she could honestly say she gave it a shot. Then just, like, get a divorce. Or murder him and cover it up."

That one got no blink. Just a sigh.

"Yeah," Laxus muttered as Mirajane giggled, as if from that thought alone. "You're definitely my demon."


	5. Breakup

Breakup

Mirajane was going to break up with him.

Laxus just knew it. There were no two ways about it. She was clearly upset about something (he had multiple flaws, ranging from his sour attitude to the fact he tracked mud into her house every time he came over) and was going to break up with him over whatever it was.

There was something up about her. He'd arrived back from a two week long job which, typically, meant that Mirajane was going to make him dinner that night and spend the night with him. Instead, when he showed up at the hall after arriving in Magnolia, Mirajane, who was working, told him that she felt a bit tired that night and they could do something the next day.

Which was fine. Honestly, Laxus was tired too. Of course, Mira coming over and cooking him dinner and then sleeping with him didn't really put him out, but he could tell why, if Mirajane was honestly exhausted from work, she wouldn't want to close the bar and then come over to deal with him.

It was whatever, honestly.

Until, you know, the next day he showed up at her place with plans to workout together and then maybe catch some breakfast. Except it was Bickslow who answered the Strauss door (for some reason, when he and Lisanna got married, neither saw it as a reason to move out of the place and, rather, found it a good excuse to move him in; Laxus had told Mirajane that when they finally wore out their welcome, just tell him and he'd boot them both out, but so far, she hadn't taken him up on that offer) and informed him that Mirajane said she was feeling a bit under the weather that day and to come again.

Then Laxus shot him full of lightning and Bickslow begged for forgiveness before the slayer just waltzed into the house.

Only, Mirajane was in bed and did claim not to feel well and did ask him to leave. Which made no sense, he argued, because he would make her feel better, he promised, if she just let him stay, but no, she didn't want him to.

Which was still fine. Everything was still fine. Laxus was fine. Rejected and dejected, but still fine.

So he rushed back home to be with Mirajane and she didn't want to be with him. Whatever. They weren't, like, one of those couples. They didn't have to be with one another constantly. Or even that often. He went on jobs a lot and she worked a lot and...and...and yeah, so when he was home and she wasn't at work, they would spend every second of that together, but so what?

He didn't _need_ to be around Mirajane.

And clearly she didn't need to be around him either.

Which was whatever. Honest. Whatever. Laxus didn't care. At all.

Until, you know, he was spending his time away from Mirajane with the Thunder Legion (or at least Evergreen and Freed; he was still a bit peeved at poor Bickslow), walking around the town, listening to Freed complain about how the others had been slacking on training while he was gone and allowing Evergreen to shop (while, of course, also verbally disagreeing with Freed's complaints), when oh, there was Mirajane, walking out about town with Lucy and her sister and giggling and happy and not sick at all!

So why the hell was she ignoring him?

Again, Laxus felt like he was being petty. And stupid. And childish. And kinda like a woman.

If Mira wanted a day away from him, all she had to do was ask. Not fake exhaustion and an illness.

Sheesh.

Was he that much of a parasite?

But when Mirajane showed up at his apartment later that night with a rather blank stare and wearing his fluffy jacket regardless of the fact she only did when it was cold out (and at the moment, it was the dead of summer), Laxus knew what was up. In her arms was also a stack of the clothes he'd left over at her place.

She was bringing him his things back. Because they were breaking up.

"-thought I'd bring you some of your clothes," Mirajane explained, as if to play it off, as she walked into the apartment. "You're about out, huh?"

"I guess," he grumbled, shutting the door behind her, palms more than a bit sweaty. "Uh, Mira, if you're not feeling well-"

"I don't, but I think that I will after we get this over with."

Laxus stomach dropped. "Oh, shit. So you are-"

"You knew?"

Mirajane had headed off to his bedroom, to put his folded clothing in the dresser, but returned to him, his fluffy coat still dangling from her shoulders.

"Laxus?" she repeated as he only stood there, still over by the front door. "You-"

"Yeah. I did. I do, I mean. I-"

"Oh, Lax, I didn't want you to-"

"Shut up, Mira." Slowly, he came over to her, moving to wrap his arms around the woman. Holding her to him, he whispered, "Just shut up, demon."

Leaning into his hold, she whispered, "You're not upset?"

"What do you want me to say, Mirajane? Huh? This is shit, but it had to happen eventually. It's not like you and I-"

"Lisanna thought you'd be happy."

"Happy? Who the hell could be happy about something like this?"

Sniffling a bit, she nuzzled up against him. "I think she just said that to make me feel better. I really have been wrestling with this since you left. And then you came back and I just… I knew I had to tell you. I-"

"It's alright." He let out a slow breath, his coat feeling soft beneath his hands as, in his mind, she wore it for the last time. "Just…"

He knew he was supposed to be saying something then. Convincing her otherwise. But Mirajane was being so mature about everything. He hadn't had a breakup like that before. There was always yelling and fighting and storming out. But Mirajane just seemed...sad. Like she didn't want to really breakup with him.

Almost like she had to.

What had he done with that was so wrong? He hadn't missed their anniversary or cheated on her or even been that much of a duck recently to her siblings. He'd actually been rather great towards them. Paying for Lisanna's wedding (mostly) and hanging out with Elfman when he wanted (less mostly).

What more could the woman want?

He felt like he gave her tons of attention. Mostly because he usually gave the women he was with no attention and he treated Mirajane the complete opposite, so there was that.

Honestly, he gave his relationship with Mirajane his all. If even that wasn't enough, then how was he ever going to be in a long term relationship?

Maybe he wasn't supposed to be. Maybe Mirajane was the furthest he could go with a woman. That made sense because he felt like he loved her more than he could ever love anything or anyone. He'd put it all out there and, for some reason, ti just hadn't been enough.

Laxus didn't get doleful often, but as he buried his nose in the top of Mirajane's head, he felt achy and hurt and he just couldn't stand it. Laxus liked being Mirajane's dragon. A lot.

He wasn't gonna, like, tell her that or anything. And he definitely wasn't going to let it show. Nope. Not one bit. As soon as they finished hugging, he'd send her right on her way and pretend like their dating had never happened.

But on the inside he'd feel it. Like how he still kinda missed the days when he and Makarov weren't at odds constantly. Or how he still thought about how nice it felt, the first time he showed Ivan's his Dragon Roar after getting the lacrima, back before that head pat he'd given him was tainted by the fact that all he really wanted was to harvest that lacrima one day. Then, of course, there were all the memories of his mother and how great it had been, back when she was around to care for him and love him.

That's just where the Mirajane's shit was going to go. Down into the vault with all of that. He'd be fine. He'd suffered worst losses (read the list above). Mira was nothing compared to all that.

Nothing.

But…

Sigh.

"Mmmm." Mirajane pulled away from him far too soon, staring up at the man then. "Lax, I think we should talk about a few-"

"Shhh." Lowering his head, Laxus broke the idea of kicking her swiftly out and instead decided to go in for the kiss. He wasn't sure how far he could take things, but at that point, he kinda had nothing to lose.

And when, somehow, it ended them up back in his bedroom (Mira responded well to their kiss goodbye and, for some reason, decided to turn it into something more), Laxus felt even worse for some reason.

There had been times, over the course of their relationship (three years) that he'd thought about what them breaking up would mean. Typically they were in the middle of one of their fights during that time and he would grumble under his breath while thinking about how, if she broke it off with him, he'd just go out and get drunk and wake up in some whorehouse somewhere and just fuck every woman ever other than her and it would just be great!

Until he was laying there with Mirajane for the last time and, shit, he was still probably going to do some form of that, but not immediately. He was in mourning. Honest mourning. Mirajane was going to get up and leave and then that would be that and why wasn't he even fighting it? Fighting for her?

Did he...want to breakup too?

Maybe. Things had been rather stagnant, after all. Not that that was a bad thing. They were...comfortable with one another. He was even thinking about asking her to move in with him (and away from Lisanna and Bickslow). She already had a key, of course, and stayed there enough.

He liked having her there. A lot.

Maybe he would just get a maid or something...that let him sleep with her...and would cook for him...and laundry was a must.

Could you still buy wives? Maybe he should just look into that.

Mira seemed in no rush to leave with it was over. Just laid there, in his bed, curled up against his side. Laxus wished that she would just go so that he could get drunk finally and yell and scream and curse her, but he wasn't sure how to ask her to do that, so he only laid there too, staring numbly up at the ceiling.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Mirajane sat up a bit before leaning over to press a rather deep kiss to his lips. Then, against them, she whispered, "I'm sorry, Laxus."

"You don't have to be sorry. It happens. It's life. It..."

"I can't believe you knew."

"It was kinda hard not to. I'm not an idiot."

Nodding, Mirajane added, "I guess your dragon senses helped you out some."

He wasn't sure how they possible could have, but only nodded a bit. Watching her get up, he finally asked what had been bugging him the entire time, the thing that had been burning at him since he realized there was nothing that he could have done wrong.

"Is it another man, Mirajane?"

"W-What?" She'd been shifting away from him and moving, for some reason, to pull his coat back on. Glancing back at him, she stuttered, "L-Laxus, I would never-"

"Is that why you're-"

"No! We're… Have you been seeing other women?"

"Of course not," he hissed, sitting up as well. "But look, if it's another guy, then you better fucking make sure I never figure out who he is, because-"

"Laxus, I haven't slept with anyone the entire time we've been together. I-"

"Then what is it, huh? Mirajane? Why are you doing this?"

"Why am I doing what? I-"

"Why are you leaving me!" And he didn't ask it. He screamed it. Roared it. Whatever. Swallowing then, he added, "Huh?"

"I'm not… Laxus, why would I leave you?"

"I don't know. Why are you?"

"Because I'm not! Do you want me to?"

"I don't-"

"Because if you're going to be an ass about this, fine." And she was out of the bed then. "I thought that we could work through it as adults, but if you're going to accuse me of… It's yours, you jerk. But I'm not going to let you say otherwise and treat me like an idiot just because you're upset. You think I want this, Laxus? Huh? I-"

"Mira, what the fuck are you talking about?"

She only glared over her shoulder at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't… Are you not breaking up with me?"

Turning fully then, she only stood there, only in his coat still, before whispering, "No, Laxus. I'm...I'm pregnant."

And he just sat there, staring. Then he blinked. Next came the scratch to the head.

Finally, "What?"

"Why would I be breaking up with-"

"Mira...I didn't… Why didn't you tell me?"

"You said you knew! I came over here to do it, but you were all-"

"I thought… Wait, don't go!" He was clambering out of bed then, regardless of the fact that she was no longer making any move to any longer. "I didn't mean any of that about… I didn't know! I thought that we were breaking up. That's what I meant. That's shit. Not...this. I… Ooh." He'd gotten up to go hug her, but stopped short of it as he moved to press a hand to his head. "You're...pregnant." Deep breath. "Alright. Okay. Uh-"

"It's yours," Mira added, as if that would help.

"Of course it is." He put his focus back on her then, truly moving then to pull her in for a hug. "I'm telling you, demon, I thought that was the reason you were leaving me. That there was another man. I don't think that… Of course it's mine. I'd never question that."

"Why would we be breaking up?" she asked against his chest as he held her head there, though he was staring off, hardly listening. "Dragon? You're always assuming the worst. This is just like that time that I went out on a job with Elfman and Lisanna and got hung up on something and didn't get back for a week. You went all crazy and thought I was dead or something. You always worry about silly things. I...I love you, Lax."

That made him pull back, just a bit, as he stared down at her. Nodding his head, he whispered, "I love you too, silly." Then he kissed her head. "I really wish you hadn't messed with me like that, but-"

"I didn't do anything. You're just always so panicky about every little thing-"

"Am not."

"Dragon-"

"C'mere." He went to lead her back over to the bed so they could lay down once more. As he stretched out and, slowly, she moved to lie against him, Laxus whispered, "Is it weird if I'm eerily relieved by this? I mean, it's still definitely something, you being...pregnant, and I think part of it's just that I'm in shock, but-"

"You just let yourself get inwardly worked up over nothing," Mirajane chided gently. "You-"

"You wouldn't talk to me yesterday and then ditched me this morning and I saw you out with your sister and Lucy, so-"

"They were just helping me work up the courage to tell you is all."

He frowned. "I'm not that much of an asshole."

Anymore.

"I know," Mirajane agreed, running a hand down his chest. "I just… I was late before you left on your job and just tried to ignore it, but then when you left, I psyched myself out and finally decided I really needed to know and then you came back and I was scared and I just… It's stupid, I know, but, I mean, we've talked about it, but definitely not right _now_ , and I thought you'd feel like I was, like, trapping you or something and Lisanna thought that you'd be happy, like I told you before, but I know that you-"

"I am happy."

That she wasn't breaking up with him, mostly.

Leaning down, Laxus grinned at her. "We're gonna have a baby, Mira. And...that's really scary and it's probably going to take me a week or so to accept it-"

"Believe me, it took me a minute too."

"-but I'm so glad that it's you. And me. Out of everyone else, we're probably going to be the best parents ever." But he coughed, at the end of that, because he wasn't so sure and kinda just wanted to ease her fears the best way he knew how; by lying. "But seriously, demon, don't ever feel like you have to avoid me again. Not about something so important. Or even trivial shit. I won't ever be mad at you. You're the most important person to me."

"That you were just going to let breakup with you without even trying to talk me out of it?"

He blinked. Then he glared. "Yeah, well, I was taking the mature road."

"Uh-huh."

"I was! It's called being an adult, Mirajane, and realizing that if someone doesn't wnat to be with you, you can't make them."

"In what way have I shown that I don't want to be with you?"

"Well, I don't know. Bringing me all my stuff over here was a pretty big example of-"

"You needed clothes! Or at least I assumed you did," she said. "I mean, Lax, you came over to my house this morning in that ridiculous animal print shirt I hate-"

"I wore that because I chose it. I love that shirt. It-"

"It makes you look stupid."

"How dare you?"

"It does. That's why I'm always shoving it to the back of your closet-"

"Is that why I can never find it?"

"I've been thinking of just throwing it out-"

"You better not," he warned, glaring down at her. "Else I might just have to throw you out."

"You would not."

"Bet."

"I would win," she told him. "If you don't even throw me out as I'm breaking up with you-"

"Could we stop talking about it? Please?" Laxus went back to staring at the ceiling. "Seriously. And then you come over here with my coat on, like it's cold out-"

"If you want to stop talking about it-"

"I'm just saying that you were sending very mixed signals."

"How could that have possibly mixed you into thinking-"

"I don't know. One last hurrah with the greatest coat known to man? I think I'd take that for a spin for the final time if I were breaking up with me."

Pulling it tighter around herself, Mirajane said simply, "It makes me feel more comfortable."

Made sense to Laxus, considering it was his safety blanket in most situations as well.

"And dragon," she said as, with a giggle, she shoved up just enough to lean over and press a kiss to his cheek. Against the stubble there, she whispered, "You know that there's literally no one else that could ever put up with me. Not for more than, like, a month at most."

"Yeah," he whispered as he stroked her cheek gently, staring up into her blue eyes. "I know." Then, with a slight grin, he added, "Especially pregnant."

Grinning as well then, she said, "I'm going to be a complete monster, I hope you know."

"Wouldn't expect anything less." And, considering he thought that he was about to lose it, he almost craved it in that moment. "Not a single thing."

* * *

 **That's it for Late. I was going to work on the new chapter of Accidents and Incidents today, but I figured if I went ahead and knocked out the last chapter of Late, then I could finally start on that next Parenthood story. Still, Accidents and Incidents will be next ((hopefully soon).**


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